Blessing of Palms and Reading of the Passion of Christ Ushers in the Holy Week

Presided over by our Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Ike Alejandria, OSM, the blessing of Palm leaves and procession to the Shrine ushered in the start of the Holy Week this 2016. Assembled right after 5AM at the entrance of SM Muntinlupa, the gospel was read and a brief homily was given to the faithful gathered together. With palm leaves waving in the air to symbolize Jesus’ triumphant entry to Jerusalem, the faithful started the procession along the National Highway towards the Shrine where the reading of the Passion of Christ and the celebration of the Eucharist was to follow.

In Fr. Ike’s homily at the Shrine, he pointed out that Jesus was with us during the procession, that we were partaking – albeit not enough, a little bit of the sacrifices Jesus had done for us . He also talked about of our responsibility to make sacrifices in our modern times for the good of others, whether we are able or make time to make sacrifices at all. He further voiced out the call for vocations encouraging parents of those being called to the priesthood not to hinder or be opposed to the call but instead to nurture the vocation of their children.

In the homily of the anticipated mass the night before, presided over by Rev. Fr. Mars Doloroso, OSM, he talked about us being with Jesus during His passion because it was due to our sins that He endured His suffering, that we were with Jesus during His death because we crucify Him again and again with our every sin. But then, not all of us are with Him during His resurrection because many of us are still living in sin. He ended his homily with a hanging question that only by deep reflection can we get to an answer – “Are we with Jesus during His resurrection?”